Red Coats 3.0

Nordrunner 4138

I have had a few requests to get an updated list for this deck, and since I am back in the game jumping headfirst, this is a good time to post it. It's hard to imagine the original Red Coats was published close to after the Genesis cycle ended. The game has changed a lot since then, and so has this build to a certain degree.

While taxing is still a primary way to control the runner, the updated deck features a more versatile approach to dealing with many running styles. One thing I love about this deck is that I am typically able to have 2 remotes that can be protected. This gives me an endless array of bluff moves, or can protect an Adonis for a few turns, or the optimal situation is usually having a rezzed Daily Business Show. DBS can really compress the game, since it will usually help find you the pieces to score. It's also worth noting multiple remotes is a good way of dealing with the popular Shaper/Cyber Cypher deck (note the number of ETR code gates).

The 8 agenda spread is still a major function of this deck. I hear people talk about how they "always" get 3 pointers top decked and so they refuse to play it. To me this is a HUGE mistake, and here is why. First of all, it doesn't "Always" happen, but more importantly, Scoring a 3 pointer is what "activates" this deck, and I make it a point to rush one out as soon as possible. It is on 3 points, and especially 5 points when the runner will likely have to run remotes frequently when they don't want to. Think of the difference here. On 4 points the runners will not have to honor a remote as a threat to win until you double advance an agenda and it could possibly be a 3 pointer. Until they see this, they can sit all game building money to crush your remote and ASH, and a smart runner will just pin you down and wait for you to make a play. I would rather actually be on 3 points than 4 points, only for the fact that I no longer have those 2 pointers to use as pressure for the runner. In other words if a runner sees I have already scored 2 Accelerated Beta Test's and lets say he stole one, that really limits the number of bluffs I can make since they know 3 of my ABT's are gone. On 3 points, every card I install in a remote could be an ABT, and do they really want me on match point yet?! I hope I explained this well enough for people to understand, because it's critical.

Cards/Changes of note:

  • Enhanced Login Protocol is often the best card in this deck. Why more people don't find room for it in their HB deck baffles me.

  • While Caduceus will always remain as my favorite 3 strength Sentry, Architect fills in as a more powerful 3 strength Sentry, and it will save you influence.

  • Crisium Grid is a great way to deal with a lot of problems for Central Servers. Overall great card, pairs well with HB ability and Architect as well.

  • Fire Wall is a great value at 5 strength, and 5 rez cost with a hard End The Run subroutine that is a pain to break through early. This is a great card to help you score agendas early.

  • Turing is a powerful card that helps you protect remotes for cheap or help you rush. Pair it with an Ash early and you have a strong scoring server.

  • Restructure/Peak Efficiency are both powerful cards. Since I try to focus on only 2 remotes usually, it's difficult to protect Eve Campaign and Daily Business Show. I also built this in response to a lot of people playing Security Testing, and not having unprotected servers. Meta dependent, you can probably interchange some other econ cards here.

This is primarily the deck that took 5th (out of 85) in the Worlds Warm-up tourney. It lost only one game to the World Champ, and it was a close one at that. It's still a very powerful deck that will compete at the highest levels. What I love about it is the depth and array of plays you have at your fingertips. I believe your ability to make decisions and your skill are very important to maximizing this deck. Astro-Biotic NEH decks for example still take good skill to maximize, but the number of different choices you have is limited, and therefore easier to play.

Enjoy and as always, comments and questions welcome.

19 comments
27 May 2015 Chuftbot

Oh what a day, what a lovely day!

I was literally just looking over the previous version and wondering what to adjust. This looks positively bonkers, I'll be trying it out ASAP.

27 May 2015 Dippy

I really like your insights about the agenda choices. It has somewhat opened my eyes. I'm curious why you chose Data Pike over Enigma. I find 3 rez Cost more reasonable and a click loss as good as 2 credits. Especially because u dont play many assets that also drain money from the runner. And don't you find 4 strenght 2 code Gates too much? Yog doesnt care at all und with net real eyes in the pipeline he might get played more regulary.

High Five for your cool deck! Dippy

27 May 2015 sruman

I had a similar question about the code gate choice. Yog.0 has been coming back (in my meta at least) and with NRE will be more prevalent. IQ would seem like a reasonable replacement that might rezzable for similar cost but be brought up past yog.0. Firewall is an interesting choice but with bastion at 4/4 and wall of static at 3/3 is it worth the 2 influence? Is atman at 4 the fear with Bastion which would seem comparable and influence free.
What are your thoughts on the NEXT suite? Too prone to parasite?

28 May 2015 Phoenix

The thing about Fire Wall is that, if you really need to, you can advance it. Personally, though, I think I would prefer Hive in that spot, as it is great at taxing Cerberus "Lady" H1 counters and makes scoring the first 5/3 much easier. It is also not eaten by D4v1d. Just a thought, although I do think that Fire Wall is underrated.

In terms of ice, do you not think you are a little weak to Atman? Yes, I know, that Katman has dropped out of favour a little bit but with your current set up a rig of Atman at 2 and 4, Mimic and Datasucker will cause you a world of pain. Yes Turing does help, but they will be packing Parasite.

As far as economy goes, have you considered Melange Mining Corp. in the Peak Efficiency slot? I think it is one of the strongest cards around at the moment. Yes, it is anti-synergistic with the HB ability, but it will certainly help you with the Tollbooth rez. The other option would be Successful Demonstration, which will help you bounce back after a, for example, Tollbooth rez. I find that Peak Efficiency always ends up clogging my hand too early in the game :S May just be me and my bad luck.

Great deck though; suggestions are just personal preference really.

28 May 2015 Pushover

Looks like Atman on 5 is a bigger worry in this deck, but there are enough variations in ice to handle it.

Thoughts on Oaktown Grid? It combines well with Adonis/DBS/Ash, although space is very tight in this deck.

28 May 2015 Masterkira

Thanks ``@Nordrunner` ! I like it and i'll try this deck ASAP !

29 May 2015 afishisborn

@Nordrunner, How often are you running the ABTs? If it's rarely to not at all, I would strongly consider replacing them with Vitruvius An overadvanced Vitruvius is deceptively powerful; it allows you to recur valuable upgrades, restart ELP after a score, hide agendas in archives without relying on Jackson, and pull out some extra economy in a pinch.

At the same time, I can see that 19 ice gives you a lot of opportunity to get some free ice out there, which certainly advances your gameplan.

29 May 2015 Spoonfunk

I like this...at first glance it seems pretty basic but there is allot going on. I have coopted this as a template for my hb test decks. I made a couple changes more or less out of preference. Right now I am really obsessed with Breaker Bay Grid I have also put 2 caprice in because I don't like having friends. With those changes there is some alterations to the ICE suite. Thanks for the updated deck!

1 Jun 2015 Wookiee

How fast does this deck play? Did you need to pair it with a faster runner deck?

1 Jun 2015 Wreqt

Great deck. I played against this in our local league last week and lost, though I was with a mildly janky Whizzard deck and 2-3 more turns would have been trouble.

I played it again with my tournament Kate deck, and ended up winning by a slim margin. The point about the difference between having four to having 5 points is huge. My opponent hit two quick ABTs, and had a massive server, but I was able to ignore his bluffs and slam his R&D instead of going down the server. I scored all 7 points off of R&D, seeing around 14 cards there, and an additional 7 from HQ.

Important note: If you are hitting DBS a ton, be careful with Jackson. Your agenda density in R&D gets pretty horrendous when the game goes late, and it makes for some easy decisions for multi-access shapers in the late game. It may be worth holding an agenda or two if they have recently popped a Legwork.

2 Jun 2015 juliandark

Is Fire Wall really worth the 4 influence? Do you advance it? Wouldn't Bastion be very similar to Fire Wall but without the influence investment?

2 Jun 2015 bourgman

Hello, old friend! It's been a while. Glad to see you're doing well as the corp and kicking butt at World tournaments. I agree with your philosophy on 3-point agendas. The proof is in the success!

Best wishes, bourgman

3 Jun 2015 saetzero

3x Datapike? And a Enigma? Not worried about Yog? I found that running more than 2 or 3 natively yog-able ice has backfired hard in enough games to just avoid it.

I like the list mostly. I just dont like playing the advance game so much anymore.

Why Markus over Wall of Static? and what is your opinion on a 1x Agg Secretary (to enhance the remote game) or 1x Corp Troubleshooter (to compliment Ash, and to force Architect/Ichi to happen)?

3 Jun 2015 Nordrunner

A lot of questions... There are 2 ways of looking at ICE, is it effective early such that it can create a strong advantage if they faceplant it. And is it effective all game long. I confess that the majority of this deck was built pre Net-Ready Eyes, it that it could eventually swing the amount of code gates I play. However, to have Code gates that can be broken by Yog is not an inherent weakness if you have other ways to cover, I.E. strong Code Gates, Destroyers, and strong taxing barriers. To have a runner faceplant a Datapike early can cost them a couple turns of being able to get a Yog out. That can often give me the breathing room to rush a 3 pointer. Everything is within context, which is why it is often difficult to address so many questions and suggestions. I like Datapike simply for the early game face check value, always have. If they are playing something other than Yog, it's a minimum 2 credit break usually for every run.

I think I will consider switching to vitruvius over Accelerated Beta Test. They are both powerful, but there is also a little bluff value on a single advanced vitruvius. They might not think they can score it if its an NAPD.

Fire Wall is a great value, and it does have the chance to be advanced. There are occasions where this is really powerful. But mostly its cheap (for strength) and fairly taxing even at 5 strength. Bastion is great, but is another 4 strength card to be in the Atman sweet spot. If NRE is going to be very prevalent, I think Fire Walls value only goes up.

Peak Efficiency is good, you occasionally have to use it earlier than you like, but late game it can win you games. Allows for a quick credit recovery/boost and scoring in Ash remote.

This is a living card game, so you ought to have some of your own preferences. I think playing caprice for example is completely viable. Eliminates the advantage if the runner gets ahead credit wise. I was surprised this made deck of the week. I am glad you all like it.

12 Jun 2015 dpolishsensation

Why not Viper over Datapike? Meta call due to high trace runners?

16 Jun 2015 LordWei

Viper is STR 4, More fodder for 4tman

23 Jun 2015 yeoda

I've seen ITD used in bootcamp glacier. I've been playing this deck since @Nordrunner posted this. (Took it to the Santa Clara regional.) I "always" lost to a 3 point snipe at that tournament, but later in the tournament figured out how to use DBS to put everything at the bottom. Ended up winning my last two corp games... Once people figure out that I'm just taxing them, they Opus or Kati up and wait to see a double advance. Would ITD be a good include? Have DBS in a scoring remote and build up ITD until you're ready to score? Just a random thought... Late games are getting harder to close. Been winning lots of games with this deck but just want to find new ways to battle rich shapers or big Kati runs

23 Jun 2015 FourLeaf

I run a singleton Biotic Labor and that's been helping me close out when I'm at 5 points. Sometimes I'll be at 4 and look for a window to I,A what looks like NAPD, but is really a 3 pointer. Biotic out for the win if they don't bite.

24 Jun 2015 stimmyrobbins

@Nordrunner thanks for the game tonight. I would really appreciate if you could look over my LL decks and offer some advice. Thank you.